Meet Modi instead of Akal Takht Jathedar if you want me to end fast: Dallewal to Punjab BJP

Chandigarh: The Punjab BJP has appealed to the Akal Takht but should approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi if they want him to end his hunger strike, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said on Friday as his fast-unto-death entered day 46.

In a three-minute video message released on Friday, the 70-year-old farmer leader asserted he will end his fast only after the Centre accepts farmers' demands which include a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price for crops.

A BJP delegation, comprising Sukhminder Pal Singh Grewal and Sarchand Singh, appealed to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on Thursday to intervene to end the indefinite fast of the farmer leader.

The delegation expressed concern over Dallewal's deteriorating health.

In his video message Dallewal said, "We have got information that the leaders of the Punjab unit of BJP appealed to the Akal Takht to intervene in order to end Dallewal's fast-unto-death. (They appealed to the Akal Takht that) a direction be given so that he should end his fast. I respect the Akal Takht." "But the Punjab BJP should approach (PM) Modi ji, the vice president (Jagdeep Dhankhar), Agriculture Minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan), (Home Minister) Amit Shah ji. Instead of meeting them, they are approaching the Akal Takht Jathedar," he said.

Farmer leaders camped at the Punjab-Haryana border also burnt effigies of the central government on Friday.

Dallewal, who is the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), has been on the indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 last year over farmers' various demands including seeking a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

Dallewal has refused to take any medical aid during the prolonged fasting period, causing his health to deteriorate.

Doctors attending to Dallewal had earlier said his condition was "deteriorating" because of the prolonged fasting.

Farmers, under the banner of SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, after their march to Delhi was halted by security forces.